review

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Lenni Reviews: “Scattering His Virgin Bloom” Vol. 2, by Aya Sakyo

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is rated 18+

Despite helping with Hana’s heat, Kaoru still hesitates to take him on as his mate. Kaoru’s sister, Marika as well as Hana’s brother Aoba, come into the picture to interfere in their budding relationship.

This was okay, but I feel like a bunch of stuff was set up and not followed through. The stuff with the siblings was not really an issue. Hana’s mother tries to set him up with a guy who’s a creep, yet is also involved with the coffee brand Hana works for. There were some really interesting ways for the plot to go, but we just get some smut and a shrug at the conflict before we get our happy ending. I don’t dislike it, but I gotta give it a 3 out of 5 for what could have been.

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Lenni Reviews: “Daydream Darling” Vol. 2, by Io Sakisaka

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Iroha and Sou are spending more time together, practicing so Iroha can gain more confidence in talking. As a result, Iroha builds up the courage to attend a festival.

In addition to the festival, we get to learn more about them, as Iroha lost her parents young and doesn’t remember them, and Sou had brain surgery that messed with his memories and emotions. I like that it’s not just Sou helping Iroha; they’re helping each other. A lot of these types of stories lean heavily into the trauma, but this guy has an actual medical issue, one that may never be fixed. And part of Iroha’s issue is that people expect her to be more upset than she is. I think it would be interesting for Sou to never be “fixed,” but since this is a shoujo manga, it’ll probably lean in that direction. 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Tales of Iga” Vol. 2, by Regujie

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Hanzo is called to assist Lord Matsudaira, and Masayasu is still training and grappling with what it takes to become a shinobi.

Aside from our A and B plots, we get some backstory for Tsuyu. Since her story with Masayasu is more interesting to me, this was a fun volume. It’s less about finding the treasures and more about exploring our characters and the machinations of their enemies. And – spoilers? – I found it a bit sad that Masayasu was so against the idea of killing being so normalized, then having to kill, but my guy… You’re training in a profession where killing is on the list of required tasks. I’m baffled as to what you expected. Also, when did this turn into a horror manga?

I was not prepared for that. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Hima-Ten!” Vol. 3, by Genki Ono

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Tenichi goes to Kanna’s place to clean and he ends up going shopping with Himari and Kanna. There is also the school camping trip.

This is cute but I’m hoping this doesn’t turn into a harem manga. Tenichi is just a decent dude and it’d be a shame that just being decent would be enough to have ALL the girls fawning over him. But, it is nice to see Himari and Kanna’s relationship. They’re co-workers in a way and have the common situation of being driven in their careers (even tough it’s still damn creepy for a teenager to be a pinup model). They seem to be in a civil and supportive relationship and I’d be happy to see that explored more. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Vagabond Definitive Edition” Vol. 7, by Takehiko Inoue

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is suggested for mature readers.

After the Battle of Sekihagara, Kojiro and the other soldiers are hounded by refugee hunters.

We spend a lot of time with Kojiro and I guess I just don’t have the warrior’s spirit because the entire part with him, I just kept thinking “What a waste of human life.” Even the other fleeing samurai cut each other down while the hunters are after them. I didn’t find it thrilling, it just made me sad. The art is amazing, and we do get back to Musashi for the latter part, but yeah. I just couldn’t shake that initial sorrow. 3.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Firefly Wedding” Vol. 8, by Oreco Tachibana

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Satoko’s father lands on Goddess Island with the Kirigaya family soldiers to eliminate Shinpei and exposes the true reason she ended up on that island.

Even though Kotaro got his side of the story, this volume spends most of it’s time really hammering home how hopeless Satoko’s situation is. Her mother sucks, her father sucks, her sister sucks, and her health sucks. It does try to give her sister one decent deed to even her out, but she’s still a dick. How shitty to things have to be for a methodical, ruthless killer to be the best person in your life? Because Shinpei isn’t going to give up on Satoko even it she’s off that island. 4 out of 5.

 

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Lenni Reviews: “The Seaside Where Dragon Boys Dwell” Vol. 1, by Asato Shima

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

After her father’s death, Mizuka moves in with her uncle to a town know for Dragon Folk. Her uncle has another boy boarding with him, a Dragon Born named Tenshin and despite her cheerful efforts. he remains aloof and cold.

This is really about two outsiders finding a place where they can be comfortable together. We have a bit of lore about the dragon children but the core of this is Mizuka and Tenshin becoming a little found family with her uncle, Yoshinaru, who is a goofy, well meaning scientist. The art is beautiful and creative in the way it shows the dragon transformations and how they fit into the modern world. It’s sweet so far and I look forward to see what else is explored here. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Mad Dog Morgan” by Adam Lawson, Brian Christgau & Maxi Dall’o

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is suggested for mature readers.

Mitchell “Mad Dog” Morgan is an indie wrestler hoping to make it big, but ends up at rock bottom. Drowning his sorrows in alcohol, he ends up squatting in a creepy house across the street from Hilda, a paraplegic who’s wrestling dreams were shattered by her mother’s addiction and is aware of the entities in that house.

The idea of a down-on-his-luck drunken wrestler punching demons in a haunted house sounds like old-school Sam Raimi, and I am so on board. I love the art; it’s very good at the squelching, gross parts. While this is gory good fun, the story feels unfocused and doesn’t smoothly merge in a way that felt satisfying to me. I thought Hilda would play a bigger role given we spend so much time on her backstory. I wouldn’t mind a follow-up to flesh things out a bit more. 3.9 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Boy’s Abyss” Vol. 15, by Ryo Minenami

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Reiji finds a sickly Chako armed with a knife and ready to jump off a bridge after she’d run away from home. After he talks her down, the pair of them run into some unexpected help.

Fucking FINALLY, some halfway decent adults are involved: Saki (Esemori’s ex) and Detective Ishibashi. But of course, this couldn’t last because despair is the name of the game in this series. Reiji, I believe, not only does he not want help; he feels he doesn’t deserve it. So, when it’s on a platter in front of him, he won’t take it.

Understatement of the year there, detective. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Horror Picture Book: Is It There or Not” by Natsuhiko Kyogoku & Naoko Machida

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

A young boy moves in with his grandmother and starts seeing scary things in her old house.

The art is beautiful but it’s exactly what it says on the tin: a picture book. So other than how lovely it is and how amusingly unhelpful the grandmother is,

there isnt much to say about the plot or the characters. Its unsettling but not really scary. 3 out of 5.

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